The little Hertfordshire town of Hoddesdon lies in the Lea Valley and was originally a coaching stop on the road to Cambridge from London. Set just 11kms from historic Waltham Cross with its ancient abbey, Hoddesdon was a boom town in the early 20th century for its gravel pits, now pretty lakes used for leisure activities. The market place and town centre are home to historic half-timbered buildings and the town cross, although most of its heritage buildings were demolished in the 1960s and replaced with shopping centres. The High Street is home to several ancient coaching inns, doubling as Hoddesdon hotels and offering visitors to the region picturesque lodgings, traditional pub grub and local beers. Although the town's main function nowadays is as part of the Greater London commuter belt, it has kept its charm as well as its traditional Wednesday market. The surrounding countryside is a mix of woodland, winding lanes and garden nurseries, growing everything from flowers to soft fruit.

other spellings: hoddesdnohotels, hoddesodn otel, hoddedson hotell, hoddsedon hote